White House reassures Israel regarding Iranian nuclear programme

White House officials have conducted secret direct talks with Israel over the claim by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani that his country would never develop nuclear weapons under any circumstances. According to a report in the New York Times on Saturday, the Obama administration is keen to “reassure” Israel that America is not falling for Iran’s “new-found rhetoric”.

The US, it is claimed, is still suspicious of Iran’s nuclear programme and the administration will judge the regime in Tehran on its actions, not its words.

The new Iranian president has insisted to world leaders that his country will not use its civilian nuclear fuel programme to develop weapons of mass destruction.

The organisation’s plan of action will be backed up by a UN Security Council resolution; negotiations are underway on the resolution’s text.